Spanish America was a highly stratified society, with a small elite class of Spanish colonists at the top and a large mass of indigenous and African slaves at the bottom. This social hierarchy was largely a result of Spain's efforts to exert control over its colonies and extract wealth from them.
The Spanish monarchy granted certain privileges and rights to a select group of colonists, known as "peninsulares," who were born in Spain and held high positions in the colonial administration. These peninsulares held the most power and wealth in Spanish America, and they often owned vast amounts of land and controlled the local economy.
Below the peninsulares were the "criollos," or American-born colonists of Spanish descent. Although they were not as powerful as the peninsulares, the criollos were still considered part of the elite class and enjoyed a higher social status than the indigenous and African populations.
At the bottom of the social ladder were the indigenous people and African slaves, who were treated as property and had very few rights. Many of them were forced to work on large plantations, mines, and other extractive industries, where they were subjected to harsh treatment and exploitation.
Overall, the social classes in Spanish America were a reflection of Spain's efforts to exert control over its colonies and maintain a rigid hierarchy of power and privilege.